U.S. patent application number 15/597528 was filed with the patent office on 2017-11-30 for sheet material separation-aiding apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is OYABE SEIKI CO., LTD. Invention is credited to Masahiro HABASHIMA, Hironobu SUNA, Masashi TAKANAGA.
Application Number | 20170341884 15/597528 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60420882 |
Filed Date | 2017-11-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170341884 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAKANAGA; Masashi ; et
al. |
November 30, 2017 |
SHEET MATERIAL SEPARATION-AIDING APPARATUS
Abstract
An object of the invention is to provide a sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus capable of creating a gap between a
specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact
with the lower surface thereof even when the location precision of
a stack of laminated sheet materials is low in the height direction
of the stack of laminated sheet materials and in the direction
orthogonal to the height direction.
Inventors: |
TAKANAGA; Masashi; (Toyama,
JP) ; HABASHIMA; Masahiro; (Toyama, JP) ;
SUNA; Hironobu; (Toyama, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
OYABE SEIKI CO., LTD |
Toyama |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
60420882 |
Appl. No.: |
15/597528 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62342166 |
May 26, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2403/533 20130101;
B21D 43/24 20130101; B65H 3/56 20130101; B65H 3/24 20130101; B65H
2301/4222 20130101; B65H 3/46 20130101; B65H 3/047 20130101; B65H
3/5215 20130101; B65H 3/5253 20130101; B65H 3/0623 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65H 3/04 20060101
B65H003/04; B65H 3/06 20060101 B65H003/06; B21D 43/24 20060101
B21D043/24; B65H 3/52 20060101 B65H003/52; B65H 3/56 20060101
B65H003/56 |
Claims
1. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus mounted on a sheet
materials separator assembly for separating a specific sheet
material from a stack of laminated sheet materials, characterized
by including a sheet materials separation-aiding member that is
capable of coming close to, and going away from, an end of said
laminated sheet materials stack and that has an abutment portion
which abuts against an end of said specific sheet material as said
aiding member comes close toward the end of said laminated sheet
materials stack, wherein: said abutment portion has a length in a
laminating direction of said laminated sheet materials stack, said
sheet materials separation-aiding member is rotatable about a
center of rotation in a position that is below the lower end of
said abutment portion and far more away from the end of said
laminated sheet materials stack than from said abutment portion,
even with the end of said specific sheet material abutting against
any position of the abutment portion in the laminating direction of
the laminated sheet materials stack, there is an upward moment
generated in said sheet materials separation-aiding member and that
moment causes the sheet materials separation-aiding member to
rotate about the center of rotation while said abutment portion
keeps on abutting against said specific sheet material thereby
creating a gap partly between said specific sheet material and the
sheet material coming into contact with its lower surface and after
said abutment portion abuts against said specific sheet material to
lift up said specific sheet material, said sheet materials
separation-aiding member presses further in the end of said
specific sheet material to bend said specific sheet material.
2. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 1, characterized in that before said sheet materials
separation-aiding member comes close to the end of said laminated
sheet materials stack, said abutment portion is designed such that
a distance to a straight line parallel with a laminating direction
passing through the end of said laminated sheet materials stack is
incremental from an upper end to a lower end of said abutment
portion.
3. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 1, characterized in that said sheet materials
separation-aiding member is guided to said center of rotation after
said abutment portion abuts against the end of said specific sheet
and rotated about said center of rotation, and during rotation of
said sheet materials separation-aiding member, said abutment
portion remains pressed toward the end of said specific sheet
material.
4. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 2, characterized in that said sheet materials
separation-aiding member is guided to said center of rotation after
said abutment portion abuts against the end of said specific sheet
and rotated about said center of rotation, and during rotation of
said sheet materials separation-aiding member, said abutment
portion remains pressed toward the end of said specific sheet
material.
5. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 1, characterized in that said center of rotation is displaced
in a direction that said sheet materials separation-aiding member
draws near and goes away as said sheet materials separation-aiding
member draws near and goes away.
6. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 2, characterized in that said center of rotation is displaced
in a direction that said sheet materials separation-aiding member
draws near and goes away as said sheet materials separation-aiding
member draws near and goes away.
7. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 3, characterized in that said center of rotation is displaced
in a direction that said sheet materials separation-aiding member
draws near and goes away as said sheet materials separation-aiding
member draws near and goes away.
8. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 4, characterized in that said center of rotation is displaced
in a direction that said sheet materials separation-aiding member
draws near and goes away as said sheet materials separation-aiding
member draws near and goes away.
9. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 1, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
10. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 2, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
11. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 3, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
12. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 5, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
13. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 4, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
14. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 6, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
15. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 7, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
16. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 8, characterized in that even during rotation of said
abutment portion guided to about said center of rotation after
abutment against the end of said specific sheet, a distance of said
abutment portion relative to a straight line passing by the end of
said laminated sheet and parallel with the laminating direction
gets longer continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
17. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 1, characterized in that said specific sheet material is the
uppermost sheet material.
18. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 11, characterized in that said specific sheet material is the
uppermost sheet material.
19. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 13, characterized in that said specific sheet material is the
uppermost sheet material.
20. A sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as recited in
claim 16, characterized in that said specific sheet material is the
uppermost sheet material.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent App. Ser. No. 62/342,166, the disclosure of which is
incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus (an auxiliary apparatus for sheet
materials separation) that is provided in a sheet materials
separator assembly of a material feeder for feeding laminated sheet
materials one by one to the next step, and is capable of creating a
gap between a specific sheet material of laminated sheet materials
and a sheet material just below it so as to ensure that the
delivered sheet materials are separated one by one.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As multiple sheet materials are fed by the material feeder
to the next processing machine upon processing of sheet materials,
it may possibly cause the processing machine to get out of
order.
[0004] In order to prevent a fault of such a processing machine,
sheet materials must be fed from the material feeder one by one to
the next step.
[0005] For the material feeder, it is thus required to make sure
separation of one sheet material from the laminated sheet
materials.
[0006] Although depending on the types of sheet materials, there
are some sheet materials laminated together, each one having a
lubricating oil, etc. on its smooth surface. Such sheet materials
are kept in close contact with one another, and when the uppermost
sheet material only is lifted up, multiple sheet materials are
often lifted up due to the adsorption action created by a vacuum
between the surfaces in close contact with one another.
[0007] Such sheet materials separation may be achieved by curling
up the end of the sheet material to create a gap partly between
that sheet material and a sheet material coming in contact with its
lower surface and enlarging that gap entirely between that sheet
material and the sheet just below it.
[0008] For an apparatus for creating a gap partly between that
sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact with its
lower surface, there is a sheet materials separation apparatus
disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2001-205373.
[0009] This sheet materials separation apparatus comprises a
linearly reciprocating actuator, a catching mechanism for catching
an end of that sheet material, and a parallel linkage mechanism for
converting the reciprocating linear motion of the actuator into an
arc motion of the catching mechanism while maintaining its posture,
wherein the catching mechanism that is driven by the actuator to
move circularly while maintaining its posture catches and curls up
the uppermost sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of the Invention
[0010] Referring to such a sheet materials separation apparatus as
set forth above, it is required for the laminated sheet materials
to have high location precision of the laminating direction of the
laminated sheet materials with respect to the catching mechanism in
order to catch and curl up the uppermost sheet material. A problem
with this has been that it is required to make use of a lift
capable of moving the laminated sheet material up and down with
good enough precision or a mechanism capable of ascending and
descending the sheet materials separation apparatus with good
enough precision.
[0011] To ensure that the catching mechanism abuts against the end
of the uppermost sheet material during its arc motion, the
laminated sheet materials must have location precision in a
direction orthogonal to the laminating direction of the laminated
sheet materials. A problem with this has been that a support plate
must be provided in such a way as to impart resistance to the
ascending and descending sheet materials, resulting in an increase
in the energy needed for moving up and down the sheet materials.
Even when the sheet materials separation apparatus moves up and
down by itself, the end of the uppermost sheet material must have
location precision in both the laminating direction of the sheet
materials and the direction orthogonal to that laminating
direction, leading just only to the need for using a control system
having sensors or the like incorporated in it but also to an
increase in the required energy.
[0012] Having been made with the prior art problems in mind, the
invention has for its object to provide an auxiliary apparatus for
sheet materials separation (hereinafter called also as the sheet
materials separation-aiding apparatus) capable of creating a gap
partly between a specific sheet material and a sheet material
coming in contact with its lower surface even when the location
precision of laminated sheet materials is low in the laminating
direction of laminated sheet materials and the direction orthogonal
to that laminating direction.
[0013] To provide a solution to the aforesaid prior art problems,
the present invention as the first aspect provides a sheet
materials separation-aiding apparatus mounted on a sheet materials
separator assembly for separating a specific sheet material from a
stack of laminated sheet materials, said aiding-apparatus including
a sheet materials separation-aiding member that is capable of
coming close to, and going away from, an end of said laminated
sheet materials stack and that has an abutment portion which abuts
against an end of said specific sheet material as said aiding
member comes close toward the end of said laminated sheet materials
stack, wherein said abutment portion has a length in a laminating
direction of said laminated sheet materials stack, said sheet
materials separation-aiding member is rotatable about a center of
rotation in a position that is below the lower end of said abutment
portion and far more away from the end of said laminated sheet
materials stack than from said abutment portion, and
[0014] even with the end of said specific sheet material abutting
against any position of the abutment portion in the laminating
direction of the laminated sheet materials stack, there is an
upward moment generated in said sheet materials separation-aiding
member and that moment causes the sheet materials separation-aiding
member to rotate about the center of rotation while said abutment
portion keeps on abutting against said specific sheet material
thereby creating a gap partly between said specific sheet material
and the sheet material coming into contact with its lower surface,
and
[0015] after said abutment portion abuts against said specific
sheet material to lift up said specific sheet material, said sheet
materials separation-aiding member presses further in the end of
said specific sheet material to bend said specific sheet
material.
[0016] According to the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus
as the first aspect, because said sheet materials separation-aiding
member is rotatable about a center of rotation in a position that
is below the lower end of said abutment portion and far more away
from the end of said laminated sheet materials stack than from said
abutment portion, even with the end of said specific sheet material
abutting against any position of the abutment portion in the
laminating direction of the laminated sheet materials stack, there
is an upward moment generated in said sheet materials
separation-aiding member. That moment causes the sheet materials
separation-aiding member to rotate about the center of rotation
while said abutment portion keeps on abutting against said specific
sheet material thereby creating a gap partly between said
certain/specific sheet material and the sheet material coming into
contact with its lower surface.
[0017] According to the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus
as the first aspect has an advantage of being capable of creating a
gap between a specific sheet material and a sheet material
remaining sticking to its lower surface by further pushing in the
end of said specific sheet material to bend said specific sheet
material even if sheet material is sticked to the lower surface of
the specific sheet material when said specific sheet material is
lifted up.
[0018] In the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the
second aspect, before said sheet materials separation-aiding member
comes close to the end of said laminated sheet materials stack,
said abutment portion is designed such that a distance to a
straight line parallel with a laminating direction passing through
the end of said laminated sheet materials stack is incremental from
an upper end to a lower end of said abutment portion.
[0019] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the
second aspect has, in addition to the advantage explained with
reference to the first aspect, an advantage of being likely to
first abut against an upper, specific sheet material of said
laminated sheet materials stack when said sheet materials
separation-aiding member comes close to the end of said laminated
sheet materials stack, because said abutment portion is constructed
as described above.
[0020] In the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the
third aspect, said sheet materials separation-aiding member is
guided to said center of rotation after said abutment portion abuts
against the end of said specific sheet and rotated about said
center of rotation, and during rotation of said sheet materials
separation-aiding member, said abutment portion remains pressed
toward the end of said specific sheet material.
[0021] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the third
aspect has in addition to the advantage explained with reference to
the first or second aspect, an advantage of being capable of
preventing a specific sheet material from going away and falling
down from the abutment portion during rotation, because the
abutment portion remains pressed toward the end of said specific
sheet material during rotation of said sheet materials
separation-aiding member. In addition, the aiding apparatus has
another advantage of being capable of holding the sheet material by
the abutment portion in a stable manner during rotation, again
because the abutment portion remains pressed toward the end of said
specific sheet material.
[0022] In the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the
fourth aspect, said center of rotation is displaced in a direction
that said sheet materials separation-aiding member draws near and
goes away, as said sheet materials separation-aiding member draws
near and goes away.
[0023] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the
fourth aspect has, in addition to the advantages described with
reference to any one of the first, second and third aspects, an
advantage of allowing the abutment portion to keep on abutting
constantly against the end of a specific sheet material even when
sheet materials separation-aiding member rotates. Further, access
to a specific sheet material from a position away from the end of
laminated sheet materials stack allows the abutment portion to abut
against the end of a specific sheet material.
[0024] In the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the
fifth aspect, said specific sheet material is the uppermost sheet
material.
[0025] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus as the fifth
aspect has, in addition to the advantages described with reference
to any one of the aforesaid aspects, an advantage of ensuring that
to separate sheet materials one by one, there can be a gap created
partly between the uppermost sheet material and a sheet material
coming into contact with its lower surface.
[0026] According to the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus
of the sixth aspect, even during rotation of said abutment portion
guided to about said center of rotation after abutment against the
end of said specific sheet, a distance of said abutment portion
relative to a straight line passing by the end of said laminated
sheet and parallel with the laminating direction gets longer
continuously from its upper end to its lower end.
[0027] According the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus of
the sixth aspect, there is, in addition to any one of the actions
of said side, an advantage that when said abutment portion is
guided to about said center of rotation and rotated to lift up said
specific sheet material after abutment against the end of said
specific sheet material and even when a sheet material stuck to the
lower surface of said specific sheet material falls down, the
falling down sheet is prevented from coming into contact with the
abutment portion. Especially if the end of said specific sheet
material is further pushed in to bend said specific sheet material,
there is then a gap created between the specific sheet material and
a material stuck to it. Even when the sheet material stuck to the
lower surface of the specific sheet material falls down, the
falling down sheet material is prevented from coming into contact
with the abutment portion.
[0028] According to the invention as mentioned in any one of the
above aspects, it is possible to create a gap partly between a
specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact
with its lower surface even when the location precision of
laminated sheet materials is low in the laminating direction of
laminated sheet materials and the direction orthogonal to that
laminating direction.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus according to one embodiment of the
invention wherein a part of the housing is removed so that the
interior of the housing can be exposed to view, and shows a state
of the apparatus before a sheet materials separation-aiding member
is in abutment against the end of a stack of laminated sheet
materials.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus, and shows that the abutment portion of
the sheet materials separation-aiding member is in abutment against
a specific sheet material.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus of FIG. 1, and shows that the sheet
separations separation-aiding member turns or rotates while the
abutment portion is in abutment against a specific sheet
material.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus of FIG. 1, and shows that the sheet
materials separation-aiding member lifts up a specific sheet
material while the abutment portion is in abutment against the
specific sheet material.
[0033] FIG. 5 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus of FIG. 1, and shows that when a
specific sheet material has another sheet material remaining
sticking to its lower surface, the abutment portion of the sheet
materials separation-aiding member presses further in the end of
the specific sheet material to bend the specific sheet
material.
[0034] FIG. 6 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus of FIG. 1, and shows that the sheet
materials separation-aiding member turns or rotates while the
abutment portion of the sheet materials separation-aiding member
remains abutting against a specific sheet material in the vicinity
of its lower end.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a side view of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus of FIG. 1, and shows that the sheet
materials separation-aiding member turns or rotates while the
abutment portion of the sheet materials separation-aiding member
remains abutting against a specific sheet material in the vicinity
of its upper end.
[0036] FIG. 8 is a side view of two sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus of FIG. 1 located on both sides of a
laminated sheet materials stack.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0037] Reference is now made to a stack 100 of laminated sheet
materials from which the uppermost sheet material 101 is separated
by a sheet materials separator apparatus including a sheet
materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 according to one embodiment
of the invention.
[0038] A stack 100 of laminated sheet materials, as shown in the
accompanying drawings, may be formed of a non-magnetic metal such
as aluminum. The laminating direction is defined by the X-axis
direction of the coordinate system shown. A direction in which a
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 to be described later,
or the like, comes close to or goes away from the end of the
laminated sheet materials stack 100 is defined by the Y-direction
of the coordinate system shown.
[0039] The end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100 (not
shown in FIGS. 1 to 7) opposite to the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus 1 is in abutment against a stopper or
the like with the result that the laminated sheet materials stack
100 does not move largely in the Y-axis direction.
[0040] In the sheet materials stack 100 formed of a non-magnetic
metal such as aluminum, they are often laminated one upon another
while each one has a lubricating oil or the like coated on a smooth
surface of the sheet materials stack 100. In the stack 100, such
laminated sheet materials are often brought in close contact with
one another. For instance, even when only the uppermost sheet
material 101 that is a specific sheet material is lifted up, a
sheet material just below it remains sticking to it under a vacuum
adsorption action between them.
[0041] As such multiple sheet materials are delivered to the next
processing apparatus while they remain sticking to one another, it
may possible cause the next processing apparatus to break down or
give rise to poor processing. Therefore, it is necessary to make
sure for separation of one only of the uppermost sheet material 101
from the laminated sheet materials stack 100.
[0042] In the case where the laminated sheet materials stack 100 is
formed of a nonmagnetic metal or the like, it is impossible to rely
upon magnetic separation of the uppermost sheet material 101.
[0043] Even with sheet materials formed of a nonmagnetic metal or
the like, there is one possible method for separating sheet
materials from one another by blowing air between adjacent sheets.
To this end, however, a large amount of air must then be used,
giving rise to much more increased energy consumption.
[0044] When reliance is placed upon a method for curling up the end
of the sheet material by abutment, powdery shavings adhere to the
sheet material, possibly resulting in poor processing at the next
processing equipment.
[0045] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 according
to one embodiment of the invention capable of providing a solution
to these problems is now explained.
[0046] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 is
provided on a sheet materials separator for separating a specific
or uppermost sheet material 101 from a laminated sheet materials
stack 100.
[0047] This sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 comprises
a sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 that is capable of
coming close to or going away from an end of the laminated sheet
materials stack 100, a first direct-acting member 3 to which the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 is coupled for turning
or rotation, and a second direct-acting member 4 that is coupled to
the first direct-acting member 3 in such a way as to guide a linear
reciprocating motion of the first direct-acting member 3 and
coupled to the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 in such a
way as to guide the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 in a
constant range yet without disturbing the turning or rotation of
that member 2.
[0048] In order from the negative direction toward positive
direction of the Z-axis, the first direct-acting member 3, the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 and the second
direct-acting member 4 are provided.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 is provided with an abutment portion 21 that abuts against
the uppermost sheet material 101 as it comes close to the end of
laminated sheet materials stack 100.
[0050] Before the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 comes
close to the end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100 as
shown in FIG. 1, a distance between a one-dot chain line L1 defined
by a straight line parallel with the laminating direction passing
through the end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100 is
incremental from the upper end to the lower end of the abutment
portion 21.
[0051] The abutment portion 21 has a saw-toothed form. The
saw-toothed form of the abutment portion 21 ensures that as the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 turns or rotates while
the abutment portion 2 is in abutment against the end of the
uppermost sheet material 101, it causes the end of the uppermost
sheet material 101 to get reliably caught on the abutment portion
21.
[0052] The abutment portion 21 is also designed such that its
thickness gets short in the Z-axis direction and its abutment area
against the end of the uppermost sheet material 101 is minimized.
The end of the uppermost sheet material 101 getting reliably caught
on the abutment portion 21, and the minimum abutment area of the
abutment portion 21 makes sure prevention of the end of the
uppermost sheet material 101 from generating powders by
shaving.
[0053] Coupled to the first direct-acting member 3 is a cylinder
rod 51a of a cylinder 51 fixed to the housing 5. Actuation of the
cylinder 51 ensures that the cylinder rod 51a extends or contracts,
causing the first direct-acting member 3 to come close to, and go
away from, the end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100.
[0054] The first direct-acting member 3 comprises a curved guide 31
having a center of rotation C in a position that is below the lower
end of the abutment portion 21 and far more away from the end of
the laminated sheet materials stack 100 than from the abutment
portion 21, and the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 is
fixed to a block 32 that moves along the curved guide 31.
[0055] The curved guide 31 and block 32 ensure that the rotational
motion of the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 is guided
to around the center of rotation C in a position that is below the
lower end of the abutment portion 21 and far more away from the end
of the laminated sheet materials stack 100 than from the abutment
portion 21. This rotational orbit lies on the same plane as, and
parallel with, the XY-plane of the coordinate system shown.
[0056] As the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 comes
close or goes away, the center of rotation C of the sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2 will be displace in the Y-axis direction
orthogonal to the laminating or X-axis direction.
[0057] Coupled to the second direct-acting member 4 is a cylinder
rod 52a of a cylinder 52 fixed to the housing 5. Actuation of the
cylinder 52 ensures that the cylinder rod 52a extends or contracts,
causing the second direct-acting member 4 to come close to, and go
away from, the end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100.
[0058] The second direct-acting member 4 comprises a linear guide
41, and the first direct-acting member 3 is fixed to a block 42
that moves along that linear guide 41. The linear guide 41 and
block 42 allow for guidance of the linearly reciprocating motion of
the first direct-acting member 3.
[0059] The sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 further
comprises a protruding guide portion 22 that extends out in the
Z-axis direction, and is here inserted into a guide groove 43
formed in the second direct-acting member 4. The sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2 is capable of rotation about the
protruding guide portion 22 inserted into the guide groove 43, and
of displacement in a given range along the guide groove 43 as well.
It is thus possible for the second direct-acting member 4 to guide
the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 within a constant
range yet without disturbing the rotation of the sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2.
[0060] The housing 5 comprises a linear guide 53 inside, and the
second direct-acting member 4 is fixed to a block 54 that moves
along the linear guide 53. The linear guide 53 and block 54 allow
for guidance of the linearly reciprocating motion of the second
direct-acting member 4.
[0061] The operation of the sheet materials separation-aiding
apparatus 1 is now explained.
[0062] FIG. 1 is illustrative of a state of the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus 1 before the sheet materials
separation-aiding member abuts against the end of the laminated
sheet materials stack. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows that in
association with the motions of the first direct-acting member 3
and the second direct-acting member 4, the sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2 coupled to the first direct-acting
member 3 and the second direct-acting member 4 comes close to the
end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100.
[0063] Extension of the cylinder rod 51a from the state of FIG. 1
by the actuation of the cylinder 51 causes the first direct-acting
member 3 to move linearly toward the end of the laminated sheet
materials stack 100. Co-actuation of the cylinder 52 permits the
cylinder rod 52a to extend so that the second direct-acting member
4 moves linearly toward the end of the laminated sheet materials
stack 100.
[0064] In association with such motions of the first direct-acting
member 3 and the second direct-acting member 4, the sheet material
separation-aiding member 2 coupled to the first direct-acting
member 3 and the second direct-acting member 4 comes close toward
the end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100.
[0065] FIG. 2 shows in what state the abutment portion 21 of the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 abuts against the
uppermost sheet material 101 that is one of the laminated sheet
materials 100.
[0066] The cylinders 51 and 52 keep going, and the abutment portion
21 continues to press on the end of the uppermost sheet material
101. Counterforce resulting from the pressing of the abutment
portion 21 on the end of the uppermost sheet material 101 brings
about an upward moment in the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 around the center of rotation C, getting the rotation of
the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 started.
[0067] The sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 starts to
rotate by the counterforce; there is no need for controlling the
operation of the cylinders 51 and 52, etc.
[0068] The rotation of the sheet materials separation-aiding member
2 may bring about a gap partly between the uppermost sheet material
101 and the sheet material just below it. As the rotation of the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 keeps going, this gap
grows entirely between the uppermost sheet material 101 and the
sheet material coming into contact with its lower surface.
[0069] FIG. 3 shows that the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 rotates while the abutment portion 21 remains in abutment
against the uppermost sheet material 101.
[0070] The cylinders 51 and 52 keep going. By the operation of the
cylinder 52 in particular, the second direct-acting member 4 is
pressed toward the end of the uppermost sheet material 101. As this
second direct-acing member 4 further presses the protruding guide
portion 22 of the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2
against the end of the uppermost sheet material 101, it causes the
abutment portion 21 of the sheet materials separation-aiding member
2 to be pressed toward the end of the uppermost sheet material
101.
[0071] The operation of the cylinder 51 also causes the second
direct-acting member 4 to be pressed toward the end of the
uppermost sheet material 101, the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 to be pressed toward the end of the uppermost sheet
material 101 via the curved guide 31, the block 32, and the
abutment portion 21 of the sheet materials separation-aiding member
2 to be pressed toward the end of the uppermost sheet material
101.
[0072] This ensures that during the rotation of the sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2 too, the abutment portion 21 is pressed
toward the end of the uppermost sheet material 101. The pressing of
the abutment portion 21 ensures that during the rotation of the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2, the uppermost sheet
material 101 is stably lifted up during which it does not go away
from the end of the uppermost sheet material 101.
[0073] FIG. 4 shows that after the rotation of the sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2 gets done, the uppermost sheet material
101 is lifted up and away.
[0074] In the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1, as
shown in FIG. 1, the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2
draws near from a position away from the end of the laminated sheet
materials stack 100 in the Y-axis direction, and after it abuts
against the uppermost sheet material 101, the rotation of the sheet
materials separation-aiding member 2 gets started, as shown in FIG.
2.
[0075] Even when the location precision of the laminated sheet
materials stack 100 in the Y-axis direction and the end face
precision of the sheet materials stack are low, it is thus possible
to separate off the uppermost sheet material 101.
[0076] By extension of the strokes of the cylinder rods 51a and 52a
of the cylinders 51 and 52, it is possible to separate off the
uppermost sheet material 101 from a position far away from the end
of the laminated sheet materials stack 100 in the Y-axis
direction.
[0077] As shown in FIG. 5, the uppermost sheet material 101 is
sometimes lifted up while a sheet material 102 remains sticking to
the lower surface of the uppermost sheet material 101. Even in such
a case, it is possible to bend the uppermost sheet material 101 by
allowing the abutment portion 21 to further press in the uppermost
sheet material 101. Bending of the uppermost sheet material 101 can
cause a gap to occur between the uppermost sheet material 101 and
the sheet material 102 that remains sticking to it.
[0078] As the gap grows entirely between the uppermost sheet
material 101 and the sheet material 102 coming into contact with
the lower surface of the sheet material 101, it allows the sheet
material 102 to fall down, ensuring that the uppermost sheet
material 101 gets separated off, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0079] FIG. 6 shows that the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 is rotating while the end of the uppermost sheet material
101 remains abutting against near the lower end of the abutment
portion 21 of the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2.
[0080] FIG. 7 shows that the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 is rotating while the end of the uppermost sheet material
101 remains abutting against near the upper end of the abutment
portion 21 of the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2.
[0081] The sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 is found
in a position where the center of rotation C lies in a position
that is below the lower end of the abutment portion 21 and far more
away from the end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100 than
from the abutment portion 21. Even when the end of the uppermost
sheet material 101 abuts against any position of the abutment
portion 21 in the X-axis direction as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,
therefore, there is counterforce produced by the pressing of the
abutment portion 21 against the end of the uppermost sheet material
101.
[0082] This counterforce brings about an upward moment in the sheet
materials separation-aiding member 2 around the center of rotation
C, getting the rotation of the sheet materials separation-aiding
member 2 started. The rotation of the sheet materials
separation-aiding member 2 may bring about a gap partly between the
uppermost sheet material 101 and the sheet material coming into
contact with the lower surface thereof.
[0083] It is thus possible to separate off the uppermost sheet
material 101 even when the location precision of the laminated
sheet materials stack 100 is low in the X-axis direction. Even when
delivery keeps going and there is a variation in the height of the
laminated sheet materials stack 100, it is possible to separate off
the uppermost sheet material 101 if such a height variation is
within a range where the abutment portion 21 can abut against the
end of the laminated sheet materials stack 100. There is then no
need for moving up and down the laminated sheet materials stack 100
or the whole sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1.
[0084] On both sides of a stack of laminated sheet materials 100
that are largely displaced in the Y-axis direction, as shown in
FIG. 8, two sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 according
to the embodiment described herein may be provided. For instance,
the right sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1 abuts
against and lifts up the end of a sheet material just below the
uppermost sheet material 101, and the left sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus 1 abuts against and lifts up the end of
the uppermost sheet material 101. Even with the stack of laminated
sheet materials 100 that are largely displaced in the Y-axis
direction, it is thus possible to bring about a gap partly between
the uppermost sheet material 101 and a sheet material coming into
contact with the lower surface thereof.
[0085] In the sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus 1
according to the aforesaid embodiment, there is the gap growing
wide entirely between the uppermost sheet material 101 and a sheet
material coming into contact with the lower surface thereof
however, there may be only a partial gap present between the
uppermost sheet material 101 and a sheet material coming into
contact with the lower surface thereof.
[0086] By blowing an air into a gap created by the sheet materials
separation-aiding apparatus 1 or, alternatively, hoisting a vacuum
cup adsorbed onto the upper surface of the uppermost sheet material
101 or the like, it is also possible to grow a gap entirely between
the uppermost sheet material 101 and a sheet material into contact
with the lower surface thereof thereby allowing for complete
separation of the uppermost sheet material 101 out of the sheet
material just below it.
[0087] In the aforesaid embodiment, the laminated sheet material
are each formed of a nonmagnetic metal such as aluminum as
explained above; by way of example but not by way of limitation,
each individual sheet material may be formed of a magnetic metal or
a nonmetal material such as resin or paper.
[0088] In the aforesaid embodiment, the abutment portion 21 has a
saw-toothed shape as explained above; however, the invention is not
limited thereto and instead, use may be made of an arrangement
wherein a frictional force enough to prevent the sheet material
from falling down during rotation is generated between the abutment
portion and the end of a sheet material against which it abuts.
[0089] In the aforesaid embodiment, the rotation motion of the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 is guided by the curved
guide 31 and block 32 as explained above; however, the invention is
not limited thereto and instead, use may be made of a guide groove
or other means capable of achieving the rotational motion of the
sheet materials separation-aiding member.
[0090] In the aforesaid embodiment, there is one center of rotation
provided as explained above; however, the invention is not limited
thereto and instead, two or more centers of rotation may be
provided.
[0091] In the aforesaid embodiment, the first and the second
direct-acting members are put into motion by the associated
cylinders 51 and 52, respectively; however, the invention is not
limited thereto and instead, the first and the second direct-acting
members may be put into motion by other actuator.
[0092] In the aforesaid embodiment, the second direct-acting member
4 guides the sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 within a
constant range by means of the guide groove 43 in the second
direct-acting member 4 and the protruding guide portion 22 of the
sheet materials separation-aiding member 2 as explained above;
however, the invention is not limited thereto and instead, use may
be made of a block and a linear guide to which the sheet materials
separation-aiding member is rotatably coupled or other means that
does not disturb the rotation of the sheet materials
separation-aiding member.
EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0093] 1; Sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus [0094] 2:
Sheet materials separation-aiding member [0095] 3: First
direct-acting member [0096] 4: Second direct-acting member [0097]
5: Housing [0098] 21: Abutment portion [0099] 22: Protruding guide
portion [0100] 31: Curved guide [0101] 32, 42, 54: Block [0102] 41,
53: Linear guide [0103] 43: Guide groove [0104] 51, 52: Cylinder
[0105] 51a, 52a: Cylinder rod [0106] 100: Laminated sheet materials
stack [0107] 101: Uppermost sheet material [0108] 102: Sheet
material sticking to the lower surface of the uppermost sheet
material
* * * * *